Rick Karlin is reporting for the Times Union that the Rensselaer Board of Education submitted a letter to the state Department of Environmental Conservation asking that the operating permit for the S.A. Dunn construction and debris landfill next door to the K-12 school complex not be renewed. “The Rensselaer City School District community and all signatories below oppose the renewal of the operating permit of the Dunn Construction and Demolition Landfill,’’ reads the letter. The letter also references problems with dust blowing from the landfill and the "rotten egg" odors created by hydrogen sulfide released from discarded drywall that is dumped at the facility. According to the letter, “.... Renewal would represent a clear indication that, despite all knowledge and evidence, the inevitable impact to students, staff, and community would not be considered important.” The letter represents a drastic change from mid-2019 when it was reported that the landfill operators had an agreement in which the company would donate, in addition to property taxes, $125,000 annually to the school district. In return, district representatives were expected to “not oppose, object to, or otherwise interfere” with the landfill. The Dunn facility is one of the largest construction and demolition debris disposal sites in the state. Large trucks come to the landfill daily to dispose of construction debris from across the Northeast and truck traffic near the school has been a concern. Last week, Questar III BOCES in Schodack also sent a letter to DEC opposing renewal of the landfill’s permit. Landfill manager Jeff Burrier said: “S.A. Dunn is committed to doing everything we can to be a good neighbor and have a positive impact on Rensselaer. That commitment is on full display when it comes to supporting the Rensselaer City School.” The landfill’s permit is up for renewal in July. In January, the company submitted a permit renewal and modification application to the DEC. Read the full story in the Times Union.